If you planted any kind of squash in your garden this year, you probably have lots and lots of it. Perhaps too much of it. You have grilled it, fried it, and baked it. But have you made a house out of it?

In the book for children "Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash" by Sarah Weeks, "Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash" by Sarah Weeks Mrs. McNosh does not only have lots of squash, she has one giant squash that started growing and just wouldn't stop until at last she picked it. So she carves it out and moves in. Wonder what she did with all the insides? Any ideas for me her?

Development Activities

You don't need to wait until fall, carving up a summer squash can be just as fun as a pumpkin. You can even have your kids carve them, then cook them and eat them to make this vegetable a little more fun.

Think of the funniest things you can to build a house out of. Draw a picture of it.

Buy some squash at the store and measure it. If you want, measure your house too so you can see how much bigger it is.

Cultural Diversity: This book did present some diversity in the illustrations, but it could have definitely been more. Was not entirely thrilled with the representation of the older men running from the giant squash. Funny, but not very respectful.

Children's Book Review Rating: 3 Stars - Blase Book

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Teaching children all the names for groups of animals could be boring - or you could also teach them about persistence, care for others, problem solving, gratefulness, and community by reading "Herd of Cows! Flock of Sheep!" by Rick Walton. "Herd of Cows! Flock of Sheep!" by Rick Walton.

Farmer Bob has been working long and hard to get all produce in the barn before the rain comes. He finally completes the job, but only after many sleepless nights. He is so tired in fact, that when the rains do come and sweep him and his bed away into the river he does not even stir. As various groups of animals see his plight, they determine to save him before he goes over the waterfall, no matter what it takes.

Children's books can do so much more than teach basic skills. While these skills are important, when they are wrapped up in a story, both lessons are more effective. And more fun for parents to read too. "Herd of Cows! Flock of Sheep!" is right up there with "Zero" to teach numbers. Don't let the unassuming illustrations by Julie Olson fool you - this one is a keeper.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 3 to 6 years old

Recommended for Family Reading: Older children will enjoy reading the story, be stretched by the vocabulary, and may learn a few new collective nouns too - I know I did.

What you do: Cut out ears, mouths, and feet from the black felt. Glue to the cotton ball bodies. Play sheep.

If your favorite animal is not listed in the book, look up in an encyclopia or online to see what a whole group of them are called.

Write a thank you note (or just color a picture and send it) to someone who has helped you recently.

Cultural Diversity: Only one human (Farmer Bob) is shown in the whole book, so no diversity of cast. The vegan / vegetarian feast at the end of the book makes this a perfect book for children if your family avoids eating some or all animal products.

Children's Book Review Rating: 5 Stars - Beautiful Book

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The tiger is hungry, and the muskrat looks like a great dinner. But muskrat is not content to just go away without a fight, oh no. Instead, he decided to tell the tiger a series of stories within stories, Arabian Nights style, until he can secure his safety.

"Wait! I Want to Tell You a Story" by Tom Williams is a perfect book for introducing literary concept of a frame story in a simplistic way. It can also be a spring-board for talking about looking for non-conventional ways out of problems. Though Tom Williams wrote a funny story, he probably should have found someone else to illustrate. The animals in the pictures are almost unrecognizable, and somewhat inconsistent in their representation from page to page. Better pictures would have taken this book from just okay to great.

Development Activities

Make up your own frame story. Make it into a book, or just tell it using your stuffed animals as props.

Visually accomplish the idea of a frame story by finding objects you can nest together. Put smalled bags into larger and larger bags, smaller boxes into larger and larger boxes, etc. Have your child experience the fun of unwrapping each layer to find the next, and put a surprise inside the smallest container.

Provide your children with all different shapes and colors of foods (carrot sticks, raisins, kiwi slices, cooked noodles, olives etc.) and have them create as many of the animals from the book as the can. Encourage them to try making other animals too. Alternately, create different faces with the food pieces and make happy faces, sad faces, scared faces, etc.

Cultural Diversity: Frame stories are a long standing story-telling tradition in many cultures. Use this book to prepare kids for these more advanced stories.

Children's Book Review Rating: 3 Stars - Blaise Book

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So much to do, so many places to go, so many instructions that Little Chicken needs to listen to. Little chicken would much rather chase a butterfly than listen one more time. Until, suddenly, where is Mama?

"Little Chicken's Big Day" by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis is what you make of it. With a few words, and simple, yet expressive pictures, you choose: do you want a light read that you and your child can snuggle up to and enjoy, or a conversation starter about the importance of listening? Every time we read this book my children and I laughed at something else, appreciated a new point, or enjoyed a different picture. What an affirming book for parents, one of those "I love you" books that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And a gentle reminder for our little ones that all the million things we tell them to do all day are because we love them so much.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 0 to 4 years old

Related Discussion Questions:

Why was it important for Little Chicken to listen to Big Chicken?

What happened when Little Chicken did not listen?

Why did Big Chicken give Little Chicken instructions?

Activities for Kids:

Draw a picture of what your family would look like if they were all chickens.

Make a "chicken" snack. Cut mango into two circles (one smaller than the other) for the head and body of the chicken. Add a piece of carrot for the nose, raisins for the eyes, and thin slices of dates (or use more raisins) for the legs and feet.

Not only is this a wonderful book to enjoy if your family has adopted children, but also a wonderful book for instroducing the concept of adoption to your biological children if someone in their life has been adopted. It addresses the ways that adoption is different (like children may not look the same as their adopted parents), but mostly focuses on the thing that is the same - how much a family loves each other no matter if they came together through birth or adoption. A children's book that is affirming to all families.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 2 years old and older

Recommended for Family Reading: This is a perfect book, even for older children, to introduce the idea of adoption and start some great discussions.

Related Discussion Topics: Adoption, what makes a family, loving each other, having things in common, appreciating both differences and similarities.

Activities for Kids:

Tell your child the story of how they came into your family - whether through birth or adoption.

Draw a line down a piece of paper or poster board. On one side, let your child cut out pictures from magazines, color, or use photos to show the ways that they are different from the rest of their family. On the other side, do the same thing to show the ways that they are the same.

Make up your own story about all the different kinds of families that you know. Tell the story with stuffed animals or puppets. Encourage your child to express their feelings through play as a way to open up for further discussion.

Cultural Diversity: This book for children did an excellent job of showing a diversity of people and families, including many mixed heritage families.

Children's Book Review Rating: 5 Stars - Beautiful Book

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Okay, I'll admit it. One of the things I love about being a Mom to three small children is being able to be a bit theatrical from time to time. They love when I dance my heart out to songs I love, no matter how silly I look. Making silly faces in the mirror is almost a requirement. And they love even my worst attempts at foreign accents.

"Toot, Toot, Zoom!" by Phyllis Root features a little fox, who is almost certainly French, driving over the mountain to find a friend. And while I do not speak a word of French (though my husband does), turning my decidedly midwestern US twang into a French twist was fun for me and the kids when reading this children's book.

Sometimes we do not always recognize our true friends, even as adults. And sometimes what seems like a bad situation can be turned into the best thing ever with the right attitude. Both of these important life lessons are cased in a funny book with lots of sound effects, laughs, and don't forget accents! This book is not just for children. If you look a little deeper behind the words on the page, you might just find yourself seeing the world in a whole new way too.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 2 to 6 years old

Related Discussion Questions:

What was Pierre looking for at the beginning of the book?

Did he find what he was looking for?

How did he know who his friends were?

How did the characters in the book turn the bad situation of crashing into a good one?

Activities for Kids:

Build a mountain of sand and create a road around the mountain to drive your cars in. Alternately, pudding according to the directions for making a pie (so that the pudding is stiffer), and pile up in a mountain shape. Use berries, cherries, or banana wheels to roll down your mountian.

Make a list together of what make a good friend. How can you be a better friend to those around you?

Go to a playgroup, library story time, or even to the park and see if you can make one new friend.

Cultural Diversity: Fox, goat, sheep, and bear, all are equally lovable in this universal tale of friendship.

Children's Book Review Rating: 5 Stars - Beautiful Book

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Every parent has hopes, dreams, aspirations for their child. When we first hold them in our arms, we try to see their life as we want it to be. We cry, we pray, we try to give them the best life we know how.

"Baby Blessings" by Deloris Jordan(Paula Wiseman Books) is one of those books that is just as much for the parent as the child - if not more so. The subtitle - "A Prayer for the Day You Are Born" - sums it all up. All the wishes we hold in our heart for our children and what we pray they will become.

But while you may get misty-eyed reading it, your child will love the vibrant illustrations by James Ransome and the simple text. You both will enjoy the snuggle time, and you may find yourself just a little more inspired as a parent.

And who is this authority who is able to peek into our hearts and help us see the future of that little bundle of joy? Deloris Jordan, in addition to being a wonderful author, is the mother of Michael Jordan. Yes, THE Michael Jordan. So if anyone can understand having dreams for your child, I am sure she can.

A wonderful book if you are introducing a new baby into the home, as it shows a second child being added to the family by the end of the book, and is a great jumping off place for talking with your child about how much they were anticipated when they were a baby, and what a blessing the new baby will be too.

This is one of those pass down books. One you will want to read to your children over and over, then watch them read to your grandchildren some day. And also a new favorite for my list of possible baby shower gifts. Because we all sometimes need a reminder about what this parenting thing is all about anyway.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 0 to 5 years old

Related Discussion Topics: Having a new baby, the values your family hold dear, dreaming about the future.

Activities for Kids:

Pick your favorite line from the book, and with your child's help, find a photo of your child that best represents the sentiment behind that part of the book. Put it in a picture frame that can be decorated with the quote written on it. Then add stickers, draw with crayons, or glue on decorations to make it beautiful.

Take some time out and write a letter to your child of all the hopes and dreams you have for them, the advice you want to share, or anything else that you want to tell them. Either share it with them now, or save it as a keepsake to share with them when they are older.

Look at your child's baby book together, or make one. As one of those things that often get pushed onto the never ending to-do pile, keep it simple and start somewhere. You will be so glad you did.

Cultural Diversity: It would be easy to imagine that these pictures are actually drawings of the Jordan family, as the father in the book looks a little like Michael Jordan. The illustrations of the family out and about are realistic and portray a wide range of people together.

Children's Book Review Rating: 5 Stars - Beautiful Book

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Mommy Bear brings Baby Bear a new present - a potty! But Baby Bear is not sure what to think at first. What is this thing and why should I like it? But in the end, he learns that it is great to go potty, and even gets to teach his stuffed rabbit Barnaby all about it too.

"It's Potty Time!" by Tracey Corderoy not only helped my kids feel more comfortable with the idea of going potty, it gave me some great ideas for getting them there. The illustrations by Caroline Pedler were just adorable. What parent can't relate to having to coax their child to try it the first few times? This book became our go-to story for reading together while they sit on the potty.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 2 to 4 years old

Related Discussion Topics: Learning to use the potty, potty training, trying even when something is hard.

Activities for Kids:

Pick out underwear together, or talk to your child about being able to pick out big boy or girl underwear once they learn to use the potty all the time.

Choose a stuffed animal together to teach to "go potty" too. Create a potty chair from an empty tissue or other box. Decorate together, and then have your child start "teaching" his or her toy all about potty training.

Make up your own special potty song together.

Cultural Diversity: This book is appropriate for any child, with an adorable brown bear as the star character.

Children's Book Review Rating: 4 Stars - Beneficial Book

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Elisabeth is a little girl who knows what she wants. Problem is, that she never says please or thank you to get it. The reality of the consequences of being rude finally hit her when she sends out invitations to her birthday party - and no one replies. Her mommy agrees it is time for a change, and helps Elisabeth know just what to do. When she changes her attitude and starts to think about others before herself everyone starts to enjoy being around her and her party is a success after all.

Every child needs a reminder every now and again about good manners. "The Magic Word" by Sherrill S. Cannon gives that reminder with fun rhymes and colorful pictures. My children all loved this book, and it has already gotten a few re-reads.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 3 to 6 years old

Related Discussion Topics: Being polite, good manners, making friends, being kind to others.

Activities for Kids:

Practice your good manners by having a bear party. Bake your favorite treat, set the table, and have all your bears and other stuffed animals join you for a fun afternoon.

Make a special family dinner, complete with invitations. If either or both parents work, you can even put the invitation in their laptop bag or lunch sack the morning of the planned dinner.

Create a poster to remind you about good manners. Think about your family meal-time rules, write them down, and add your own pictures. Hang near where you eat for a good reminder.

Cultural Diversity: This book did a fantastic job of representing a wide range of children.

Children's Book Review Rating: 5 Stars - Beautiful Book

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*A free copy of this book was given to Beautiful Books for Children for review purposes. Our commitment to our readers and authors is to always give an honest review, even when a review copy is provided. No other compensation was provided for this review.

Many parents at some point choose to work outside the home for one reason or another. Explaining why their work is important can be difficult for parents to explain to their children. Jennifer Pereyra decided to try to answer her daughter's questions by writting a book about it, and"Mommy and Daddy Work to Make Some Dough" was born.

In the story, Rebeca wonders why her mother and father both leave all day for work while she and her sister are cared for elsewhere. After some confusion about dough, and making money in a factory, Rebeca finally understands that her parents are doing their best to take care of her and her sister.

It was nice to see a book that addresses a subject often over-looked in picture books for children. Though the rhymes were somewhat clunky in places, the illustrations were expressive enough that parents could even adapt their own story that fits their own family situation. Parents who homeschool, work from home, or are stay-at-home parents will probably not find this book very helpful. But for those parents who miss their kids, but feel that going to a job each day is the best choice for their family, letting their children know how much they care may help everyone miss each other a little less.

Development Activities

Books for Children Ages: 5 to 7 years old

Related Discussion Topics: What you as parents do for a living, what your job is like, ways that parents care for their children.

Activities for Kids:

Bake sugar cookies, but cut them into rectangles the shape of dollar bills. Decorate with green icing and enjoy!

Try to schedule a day (or an afternoon) to take your child to work with you so that they can see where you work and what you do.

Cultural Diversity: The story presents a mixed-heritage family, as well as a multi-cultural community in which they live and work.

Children's Book Review Rating*: 4 Stars - Beneficial Book (for parents who are working outside the home)

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Why Beautiful Books for Children?

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” ― Dr. SeussWe believe that reading with your children, and then building on that reading by connecting with real world experiences, help children grow to their potential every day! It is a process we call "learning through integrative play." Learn more.